BRoKEN Part 1
by Darknight of WoodClan
Summary: One senile leader, a clan with a dark past, an underestimated clan, a growing sickness: a recipe for disaster. Four cats watch the growing chaos with unease. Can they stop the inevitable?
1. Alliances

**WindClan**

**Leader**

Wildstar- Long-haired tabby she-cat

**Deputy**

Larchpelt- Dark tabby she-cat

**Medicine Cat**

Palecloud- Small pale ginger she-cat  
_Apprentice, Smokefeather_- Dark gray tom with a scar on his muzzle

**Warriors**

Seedfur- Thin black tom  
_Apprentice, Bramblepaw_

Rushtail- Bushy auburn tom

Mudheart- Brown tom with amber eyes  
_Apprentice, Pondpaw_

Bluebird- Blue-gray tom with blue eyes  
_Apprentice, Flowerpaw_

Emberfang- Large dark brown tom  
_Apprentice, Bearpaw_

Frostbreeze- White she-cat with gray eyes

Streamfoot- Fluffy black and white tom

**Apprentices**

Bramblepaw- Dark brown tom

Flowerpaw- Pretty gray she-cat

Pondpaw- Small gray tom

Bearpaw- Small black she-cat

**Queens**

Berrynose- Small white she-cat; oldest nursery queen  
_Kits: Boulderkit and Swiftkit_

Whiteflower- Long-haired white she-cat

Gingertail- Golden tabby she-cat  
_Kits: Maplekit_

Hollypelt- White and ginger she-cat  
_Kits: Wolfkit, Sparrowkit, and Brownkit_

**ShadowClan**

**Leader**

Littlestar- Old, small black and white she-cat

**Deputy**

Dusktail- Dark gray, almost black, tom with faintly-visible stripes

**Medicine Cat**

Mudstump- Elderly brown tom with a short tail  
_Apprentice, Lilypaw_- Small, pale tabby she-cat

**Warriors**

Ryesong- Gray tom with blue eyes

Runningfoot- Tall black she-cat

Talonclaw- Pale brown tabby tom  
_Apprentice, Graypaw_

Ravenflight- Black she-cat with white paws

Brightwing- White and tabby she-cat; formerly a rogue  
_Apprentice, Sandpaw_

Leopardspot- Unusual golden spotted she-cat  
_Apprentice, Mistpaw_

Icerose- Long-haired white she-cat

Longfang- Tall silver tabby tom

Floodtail- Silver tabby tom with blue eyes  
_Apprentice, Silverpaw_

Darkwing- Dark gray, almost black, tom with green eyes

Whiteclaw- White and tabby she-cat

Morningcloud- Pretty pale brown she-cat

**Apprentices**

Sandpaw- Black tom

Mistpaw- Gray and white she-cat

Graypaw- Small gray she-cat

Silverpaw- Silver (with darker flecks) tom

**Queens**

Rippedface- Black and white she-cat with a scar down her face  
_Kits: Gorsekit and Mothkit_

**RiverClan**

**Leader**

Foxstar- Dark ginger tom

**Deputy**

Needleclaw- Tall tabby tom with green eyes  
_Apprentice, Barkpaw_

**Medicine Cat**

Largestep- Massive tabby tom

**Warriors**

Brownleg- White tom with brown patches on his legs

Heathercloud- White and brown she-cat  
_Apprentice, Dustpaw_

Blackrage- Dark tabby tom with black paws

Cloudwing- Tabby tom with a white star on his chest

Willowscar- Pale brown tabby she-cat

Ashfire- Pale silver tabby tom  
_Apprentice, Spiderpaw_

Rapidfoot- Tall gray tom

Littlefish- Small ginger she-cat

Dawnsky- Pale ginger she-cat

Hazelfur- Long-haired gray she-cat

**Apprentices**

Spiderpaw- Gray tabby tom

Dustpaw- Gray tabby she-cat

Barkpaw- Small black tom

**Queens**

Rainflower- Small gray tabby she-cat  
_Kits: Nightkit, Marshkit, Thistlekit, and Oakkit_

Dewtail- Pale tabby she-cat  
_Kits: Mousekit_

Jaggedflower- Pretty pale brown she-cat; formerly of ShadowClan  
_Kits: Unborn_

**ThunderClan**

**Leader**

Bloodstar- Dark tabby tom

**Deputy**

Quickfrost- White and tabby tom

**Medicine Cat**

Moonecho- Long-haired white she-cat

**Warriors**

Hawkshadow- Massive dark brown tom  
_Apprentice, Stonepaw_

Lostrose- White and tabby she-cat

Fernstripe- Tall tabby she-cat

Twigtail- Tall brown tabby tom  
_Apprentice, Birchpaw_

Lightstep- Very pale ginger she-cat

Burntclaw- White and brown tabby tom

Beetlefur- Large, dark smoky-gray tom  
_Apprentice, Rosepaw_

Pinescar- Pale tabby tom  
_Apprentice, Stormpaw_

Songbird- Long-legged ginger tom

Twilightrose- Tortoiseshell she-cat

**Apprentices**

Stonepaw- Pale gray tom

Birchpaw- Pale tabby she-cat

Rosepaw- Dark brown she-cat

Stormpaw- Gray tabby tom

**Queens**

Leafspirit- Tabby she-cat with blue eyes  
_Kits: Thornkit_

Swallowtail- Long-haired gray she-cat

Juniperleaf- Pale tabby she-cat  
_Kits: Snowkit and Robinkit_


	2. Ch 1

The sun was bright in the mid-day heat of newleaf. New life was leaping up all over the forest. With leafbare finally finished, the land burst forth with new energy, giving no hint to the terrors on the horizon.

The heat had hidden all the prey of ThunderClan's forest deep in their dens. That made hunting nearly impossible. So, of course, patrolling or training were the more desirable pastimes. But one ThunderClan apprentice had the displeasure of enjoying neither. Instead, she was cooped up in camp, caring for the elders.

Rosepaw shook the last bit of moss from her pelt, satisfied. Yes, this new moss would last them quite a while. Casting her amber gaze towards the three ancient cats, she thought now would be a perfectly acceptable time to sneak away. After all, Stormpaw had picked the ticks from their pelts only a few dawns ago. They had new bedding, and Rosepaw had already brought them fresh-kill. Nodding slightly, she slipped from the den and paused to enjoy the view of ThunderClan's camp as the sun came down through the trees.

All of the other apprentices were out training or patrolling, so one half of the camp was surprisingly quiet. Several warriors lay outside their den, tired after returning from the dawn patrol. The clan's three queens sat in the sunlight, watching the kits play. They seemed deep in discussion, giving their little ones quick glances between words.

A growl from her stomach reminded Rosepaw that she had not eaten yet that day. Trotting over to the well-stocked pile, she selected a small vole and settled just close enough to the queens as to hear what they were saying.

"I'm sure it's nothing; you two shouldn't worry. Especially you, Swallowtail, with your kits coming so soon," the oldest queen, Leafspirit, was saying. Her muzzle was stained with gray, but her amber eyes remained sharp as she spoke. Lightly, she gave the younger queens a reassuring nod.

"How can you be so sure?" Juniperleaf replied hastily, her pale gray tail flicking back and forth as she glanced between her denmates. Her green eyes were alight with worry, Rosepaw saw as she glanced over at them. "What if it's worse than Moonecho says? We can't have sickness in the camp right now!" The queen threw her gaze towards where her two small kits tumbled with Leafspirit's single son.

Rosepaw's ears pricked up in surprise. Sickness? What sickness? Her amber eyes fell down to the vole before her, mind deep in thought. She knew Lostrose and Lightstep had been coughing lately, but surely that was just the flower pollen bothering their throats, right? She was so lost in her own thoughts that she missed what Leafspirit said in response. Quickly, Rosepaw finished her meal and began cleaning her paws, now listening more intently to the conversation.

"We should trust Moonecho, Juniperleaf," the last queen, Swallowtail said calmly, nodding. However, her softly flicking tail gave hints that Leafspirit alone seemed completely sure that there was nothing amiss. Trying to act nonchalant, the brown queen gave her bulging belly several soft licks.

Rosepaw had expected the conversation to continue for at least another few moments, but the three older she-cats had fallen suddenly silent.

"Shouldn't you be off training, Rosepaw?" The apprentice looked up swiftly to see all three queens staring at her. Swallowtail looked merely amused, but Juniperleaf failed to hide the look of concern still plastered on her face. It was Leafspirit who'd spoken, one tabby ear angled to the side.

"Er, Beetlefur's out of camp," Rosepaw explained quickly, getting to her paws. She felt a flush of embarassment rise in her ears. None of the other apprentices got caught eavesdropping on the queens!

"Then go take some fresh-kill to Moonecho. She hasn't been out of her den all morning." Nodding dismally, the apprentice turned away, but not quick enough to miss the way Juniperwing's eyes flashed as she turned her gaze sharply back to the senior queen.

Sighing lightly, the small she-cat made her way back to the fresh-kill pile, pausing to stretch out her muscled limbs. Patches of sunlight flashed lightly off her dark brown pelt, giving her a sudden gold appearance as she passed through them. Snatching up a large mouse, she padded glumly into a shaded area of camp. The strong scent of herbs quickly filled her nostrils, and she breathed in deeply to savor it. To her surprise, Rosepaw's nose told her that Moonecho wasn't alone in her den. Stepping out into the open, the dark apprentice dropped the mouse and cleared her throat to make her presence known. The medicine cat, a beautiful white she-cat, was leaning over a small gray tabby tom named Stormpaw. On the other side of the den, several warriors were curled up, apparently sleeping.

"Sit still now, Stormpaw," Moonecho had been saying. She looked up, her pale green eyes locking on the new arrival. "Oh, hello, Rosepaw. Is that for me?" The medicine cat flashed the younger she-cat a lovely smile before turning back to Stormpaw.

"Will my paw be okay, Moonecho?" the small tom asked, his amber eyes wide with worry and fear. Taking a step sideways, Rosepaw saw that his only ailment was a thorn stuck in the pad of his paw.

Moonecho purred a laugh. "You'll be just fine." She gently pulled out the thorn and gave his paw a few gentle licks. "There, all better."

Stormpaw jumped up, carefully testing out the paw. His face lit up with a big smile. "Thanks a bunch, Moonecho!" He turned and leapt excitedly past Rosepaw and out into camp once more. The two she-cats shared small, purred laughs of amusement.

As Moonecho padded over to her side and began eating the mouse, Rosepaw swept her eyes over the sleeping warriors with more vigilence. One was Lostrose, a pretty tabby and white warrior. The other, Rosepaw noted with a quickened heart, was tall Twigtail—her sister's mentor. Suddenly Juniperleaf didn't seem so out of line to doubt Leafspirit's confidence. The two warriors lay on beds of moss, their backs against eachother. Twigtail's tabby fur was a bit ruffled, as if he hadn't washed it in several days. Lostrose breathed in low, rasping movements, her eyes flickering beneath her eyelids. Lightstep's absense didn't help to soothe Rosepaw; in fact, it did quite the opposite. A strange, and perhaps uncalled for, sense of panick shouldered its way into the brown apprentice's heart. Glancing between the two sleeping cats and the medicine cat, Rosepaw's tongue got the best of her.

"M-moonecho, what's wrong with Lostrose and Twigtail?" She frowned slightly, her tail flicking back and forth in a worry to match Juniperleaf's. "Is there really a sickness in ThunderClan?"

The white medicine cat looked up sharply, eyes widened. "Who told you about that?" Her voice was sharp. Taking a surprised step back, the apprentice blinked slowly. Rosepaw couldn't tell if Moonecho was worried because the rumor was true, or merely alarmed that such a false story had spread.

"Juniperleaf was talking to the other queens about it…" Dipping her head down slightly, Rosepaw closed her eyes briefly to show a spot of guilt at eavesdropping, but then opened her amber eyes once more, seeking any sort of comfort.

Moonecho's face was quickly covered with a smile, perhaps too bright. She chuckled. "Juniperleaf's only worried because her precious mate is feeling under the weather," the medicine cat explain with a chuckle, flicked her fluffy white tail in Twigtail's direction. "Now, run along. I'm sure Beetlefur's looking for you." She swept her tail around Rosepaw, motioning her from the den.

"Actually—" Rosepaw started, clearly dissatisfied with Moonecho's denial of the rumor. However, the medicine cat cut her off before she could ask for any further comfort.

"Go!" The chuckle was gone. The white medicine cat spat the command with more force than Rosepaw had ever heard her use before. Blinking, the dark apprentice slipped from the den, glancing back just in time to see a look of concern fall over the medicine cat's face.


End file.
